A woman marries, gives birth to a stillborn child, and divorces, falls in love with a hotel-keeper, only to find herself subordinated to his drive for success, takes up with a tailor who cannot console himself with her strong personality.

After her husband's death, a middle-aged widow in Tokyo becomes a bar hostess to pay off her debts and support her family. She faces the challenges of dealing with drunken patrons, managing relationships with multiple suitors, and navigating the complex world of Ginza's nightlife.

Ten years into a marriage, the wife is disappointed by the husband's lack of financial success, meaning she has to work and can't treat herself and the husband finds the wife slovenly and mean-spirited: she neither cooks not cleans particularly well and is generally disagreeable. In turn, he alternately ignores her and treats her as a servant. Neither is particularly happy, not helped by their unsatisfactory lodgers. The husband is easily seduced by an ex-colleague, a widow with a small child who needs some security, and considers leaving his wife.

Sound of the Mountain follows a man in Tokyo, Japan, who is unhappy in his marriage and begins an affair. His wife becomes pregnant with their third child, and the couple must confront their marital problems and the expectations of their families. Set in Kamakura, Japan, the film explores themes of infidelity, family dynamics, and the challenges of maintaining a marriage.

In post-war Japan, a young woman named Osen starts working as a maid at a traditional geisha house. As she navigates the complex hierarchy of the house and the strict rules imposed on the geisha, Osen tries to find her own identity and place in the rapidly changing society.

In post-war Japan, a woman named Yukiko starts a turbulent relationship with an ex-soldier named Kengo, despite societal pressures and their own personal struggles.

Two in the Shadow tells the story of a forbidden love between a Japanese wife and her chauffeur. Their relationship is tested by societal and personal challenges, including the loss of her husband and an unexpected pregnancy. As they navigate through love, hate, and societal expectations, they must confront the consequences of their choices.

Late Chrysanthemums is a compassionate portrayal of the hardships faced by four middle-aged geishas in post-war Tokyo. The film explores themes of greed, regret, disappointment, and the complex relationships between mothers and their children.

Anzukko (Little Peach) is the daughter of a successful writer. She turns down each one of her suitors, until she marries a beginning writer named Ryokichi. Their life quickly sinks into despair.

Yearning tells the story of a forbidden love between two individuals who meet at a train station. As their love grows, they find themselves entangled in a series of tragic events that lead them to question their decisions and contemplate suicide. With the help of the police and a telephone call, their fate takes a dramatic turn, leaving them yearning for a different outcome.

In post-war Japan, a widow is faced with poverty and the responsibility of raising her young daughter. She finds solace in participating in a singing competition to win money for their survival, showcasing the resilience and determination of a mother's love.

A young novelist and peddler navigates the bustling streets of Tokyo in the 1920s, drawing inspiration from the lives of the people he encounters.

A husband and wife's pet peeves and minor irritations escalate into major rifts and animosity.

The eldest daughter of a rural family Mon returns home from Tokyo pregnant after an affair with a college student Kobata, which causes a scandal that will threaten the marriage prospects of the younger sister San, in her cash-strapped family. The ill-tempered eldest brother Inokichi decides to take on the role of disciplinarian, with harrowing results.

The main focus is on the 5 member band of a small circus as it runs into problems while touring rural Japan. It also pays lots of attention to the two daughters of the aging and irascible ringmaster-circus owner. The high points are the sound (and score) and cinematography featuring a lot of vertiginous panning (appropriate - as high wire trapeze artists are also an important element in the film). A fascinating side-light on 30s Japan.

Apart from You tells the story of a geisha and her teenage son who struggle with resentment, shame, and the challenges of their family.

In 'The Wiser Age', set in Tokyo, Japan, the film delves into the intricacies of marriage and family dynamics. It skillfully captures the challenges and triumphs faced by its characters, highlighting the fragile nature of relationships and the universal themes of love, loyalty, and personal growth. As the story unfolds, deep secrets are revealed, bonds are tested, and the characters navigate through the complexities of their own lives and relationships.

A luckless geisha struggles to make a living for herself and her young son.

The critical establishment was clearly not prepared to accept a woman's prison film featuring former prostitutes recovering from venereal diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and estranged lovers. With its cat fights, hysterical tantrums, film noir lighting, and dramatic music, White Beast is indicative of the new influences of the Hollywood psychological thriller on Naruse. Caged (John Cromwell, 1950) initiated a cycle of women's prison movies in the United States that may or may not have been shown in Japan, but the stylistics of White Beast draw on the same paranoid woman's films and film noir conventions that preceded the American cycle.

A woman and her daughter are in love with the same man, a chef at the restaurant that the mother manages. He is slightly crippled from frostbite in his years in Siberian labor camps and considers himself 'already dead'.